We Can Make It Work
by Jocasta Silver
Summary: Last of the Jedi AU- Ferus is resigned to watching over Leia. So what happens when he does the unthinkable? Ferus/OC
1. Prologue

Author's Note:

Jocasta: I'm still working on "My Version of Sunrise". But I can't get this idea out of my mind, so I'm writing it down. I hope you enjoy it.

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars. Star Wars is owned by George Lucas. I do own Cora and Tanya Braveheart, which is kind of cool.

Prologue

"Please Mom! I want to see a Pod-race!" the girl begged, her violet eyes pleading. Her coal-black hair was pulled into a long braid. The girl was not more than eight standard years.

Tanya Braveheart sighed. Her daughter was feisty and impulsive. "Just like her father."

Just days before her daughter's birth, the girl's father had led an attack on a group of Tusken Raiders who had kidnapped several youths. The youths had been rescued, but at a cost. Her husband and two others lost their lives.

It had been in that time of sorrow, that Tanya had given birth. It was because of her daughter and her daughter alone, that she kept on living. She sold the moisture farm, and moved in with her parents. The past eight years had been hard, she had managed. Still, she feared that she would lose her daughter.

One part of her wanted to say "no". "I can't lose my daughter," she thought despairingly. "Not after all I've been through."

Then she recalled something her friend Rita Curran had told her. "You can't keep her sheltered forever Tanya. She has to grow up sometime."

"She is right," Tanya thought. "I can't keep my daughter sheltered forever. Watching a pod-race wouldn't hurt her."

"All right Cora," she finally spoke. "You may go to the pod-race."

"Yeah!" Cora cheered. "Thank you Mom!"

Tanya wanted to say more, but she knew that her words would fall on deaf ears. "I just hope she'll learn humility in time," she thought. "Or she'll pay a high price for her arrogance."

….

Cora Braveheart scanned the crowds. In her eight years she had never seen so many people. "And they're all here to see a pod-race," she thought.

Of course, this wasn't just any pod-race. This was the Boonta Eve classic, the biggest free-for-all pod-race there was. Cora knew her heart would be pounding with anticipation even if the pod-race had been insignificant. This was what she had heard about.

She took her seat beside her mother. She watched in anticipation, as the contestants moved out to the starting line. As she glanced at the contestants, she noticed something that shocked her.

A boy who could not be more than a couple years older than Cora herself stood next to a small blue-and-white pod-racer. His blond hair shone in the sunlight.

"Who is he?" she thought. "He can't possibly be a contestant." As her mother constantly reminded her, pod-racing was far too dangerous for humans to compete in.

"Who is that boy Mom?" she turned to her mother.

"That's Anakin Skywalker," a burly man sitting on her other side commented. "He's the only human who can fly pod-racers."

"I'm surprised his mother lets him," Tanya commented, while giving Cora her "don't even think about it" look.

"Their owner, Watto doesn't give her much of a choice in the matter," the man replied.

Though she knew that slavery existed, looking at the boy, and knowing he was "owned" by someone, made Cora's stomach churn.

"He's good," the man continued. "But Sebulba's going to win."

"And why do you say that?" Cora challenged.

"He always wins," the man replied as if that answered everything.

"Well I think Anakin will win." Cora turned her attention away from the adults. Some gut instinct told her that the victor of the pod-race was the young boy in the silver-and-blue pod-racer. And something told her that this wouldn't be the last time she would hear of Anakin Skywalker.

Author's Note: Please don't dismiss Cora as a Mary-Sue. She has flaws. She is arrogant and impulsive. These flaws will cause her alot of trouble later on in the story.


	2. Chapter 1 Alderaan

Author's Note: Here's chapter one. I hope you enjoy it.

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars. Star Wars is owned by George Lucas. All own are the plot, Cora Braveheart, and the Weary Traveler's Inn.

Chapter One

Alderaan

Ferus Olin groaned. The sun beat down mercilessly as he planted the Alderaanian grasses. He could use telekinesis to make this happen a lot faster, but the last thing he wanted was to attract the attention of the other gardeners.

Laying low was part of the job description. He lived on Alderaan under a false identity, working as a gardener. He discreetly kept an eye on Leia Organa. Ferus only hoped that the Emperor or worse, Darth Vader, never discovered that there was more to Leia than met the eye.

Daughter of Anakin Skywalker and Padme Amidala, she was defiantly Force-sensitive, but hopefully, not Force-sensitive enough to attract unwanted attention from the Empire. From his observations, Ferus could tell that she had inherited her father's temper.

"I just hope she's learned humility," he thought. "Or she'll become a danger to herself and others."

"Fess!" one of the gardeners tapped on his shoulder.

"Not to self," Ferus thought. "Don't get caught up in your thoughts."

"Yes," he answered.

"Shift's over," the man grunted.

Ferus stood up, brushing the dirt off his tan colored trousers. He was almost relieved his shift was over. Now he could head back to his small home, and rest his weary bones.

"You ok Fess?" the other gardener asked, concerned. "You seemed out of it."

"No. I'm fine." Ferus ignored the other gardener. In the past year, he had fallen into a routine. Work, keep an eye on Leia, and meditate. As he walked down the streets, he wondered why he felt empty.

"It's like there's something missing," he thought. He cleared his head. There was nothing missing in his life. He was doing his duty, by watching over the new hope. What more could he want?

Ferus was so absentminded that he did not notice the girl, until he ran into her. The hard knock kicked him back to reality. "Sorry," he apologized. "I wasn't paying attention."

"S'ok," the girl replied. "I wasn't paying attention myself. My name's Cora."

"I'm Fess."

"Are you a native?"

"No why?" Ferus could not get what the motive of her question was.

"Well. I'm kind of lost," Cora admitted sheepishly.

"Oh," Ferus thought. Now he understood. "I'm not a native. But, I do know my way around."

"I'm staying at the Weary Traveler's Inn. It's near the spaceport, I think."

Ferus nodded. "I know where that is." He took the lead, moving his way through the small crowds of people who were on their way home from work. Cora easily kept pace. In fact, he suspected she could easily out run him.

"Then again, I'm a little out of shape," he thought. "Maybe I should get more exercise."

Before long, the pair arrived at their destination. The motel was simple, but seemed well kept. "Not bad," Ferus thought. "Not bad at all."

"Thanks for helping me. I don't know what I would have done if I hadn't run into you." Cora seemed really grateful.

"It was nothing," Ferus replied. "People around here are pretty friendly. You could have easily found someone else to help you."

"I hope I see you again Fess," Cora spoke, before shaking his hand. "It was nice to meet you." She walked up the ramp to the door, waving once, before entering the motel.

"It was nice to meet you too," Ferus murmured. He walked back to his home with a lot on his mind.

Author's Note: Does there friendship seem unreal? It will get better, over the course of the story. Please read and review.


	3. Chapter 2 Memories

Author's Note: Good afternoon. I finally finished writing chapter two of "We Can Make It Work". I would also like to thank Pronker for reviewing. I found it annoying that Ferus doesn't fall in love in canon, so I wrote this story. Hope you enjoy chapter two.

Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars. Star Wars is owned by George Lucas. I do own Cora and Tanya Braveheart, as well as the names for Anakin's friends, except for Kitster and Wald.

Chapter Two Memories

Cora sat in a chair in her room that evening reflecting on the day. The room she stayed in was simply furnished. Besides a bed and closet, it had a chair and desk with an outdated dial-up to HoloNet.

On the good side, the bed was comfortable. She also had her own bathroom, and the motel offered free breakfast.

But Cora wasn't reflecting on these things. She was wondering about the man she had run into at the market, the man called Fess. "I wonder where he comes from," she thought. "His home world is probably not Tatooine."

The thought of her home world brought back memories of her childhood on the dusty back water planet.

Flashback

Everyone else was congratulating Anakin for his victory in the pod race. They all seemed shocked that he had actually won.

"I knew you would win," Cora found herself saying.

"And how did you know that?" challenged a red haired boy.

"I don't know," she admitted. "I just had a feeling."

"Well I think he cheated," said a green alien. "He couldn't have possibly won."

"I did win!" yelled Anakin.

"Yeah, you probably-". The green alien's sarcastic reply was cut off when Anakin pounced on him. The two rolled in a tangle of punches while the other young beings yelled "Fight! Fight!".

Cora watched as a middle aged man broke up the fight. He said some stern words to Anakin who nodded obediently and left the idiotic Greedo in the streets. The man and Anakin left walking away from the arena. They turned a corner and vanished from view.

Flashback End

There was also the time she herself fought Greedo.

Flashback

It had been seven years since she had first watched a pod race. Ever since then, she tried to sneak time without her mother, who was as overprotective as ever.

Cora would get odd jobs repairing stuff for people. The money she earned would go into a lock box. One day, she would earn enough money to leave the dustball planet forever.

She arrived at Kitster's house. Ever since the day of the pod race, she had befriended Anakin's old friends. Kitster had recently gotten enough money to buy his freedom. The others had not been as fortunate.

When she arrived, Wald was already here, along with Ceres Starkiller, and her sister Diana. Ryan Rorem was talking to Kitster. To her surprise, Greedo was sitting near Wald.

"I heard you helped that outlander Raina Quilla repair her ship," Ceres said.

"Yeah," Cora replied.

"Cora has been getting proficient at repairing things," Kitster noted.

"She'll never be as good as Anakin was," Ryan argued.

"I think your right about that," said Cora. "I'll never be as good as Anakin. I'll be better than him."

"Yeah right," Greedo muttered. "You and Anakin are big-"

Before Greedo could finish his sentence, Cora tackled him. She expertly dodged his blows, before punching him in the face. Greedo broke free of her grasp.

"I'm leaving!" Greedo rudely shouted. "You beings are beneath me." He slammed the door behind him for emphasis.

Greedo's leaving heralded silence in the room.

End Flashback

The day had come when she left Tatooine for the last time.

Flashback

An adult Cora stood in front of her mother's grave. It stood right between her father's and her grandparents'. The tombstone read:

**Tanya Braveheart**

**Birth 64 BBY**

**Death 20 BBY**

Cora felt hot tears slide down her cheeks. Despite her mother's overprotective nature, Cora had cared about her mother, and missed her dearly.

"Good-bye Mom," she whispered softly. "I won't be coming back, but I'll never forget you."

Cora slid her small pack over her shoulders. She turned from the grave markers and walked away towards the speeder. She did not look back.

Flashback End

For the past three years, Cora had tried to not reflect on her past. She had spent those years building her reputation as a pilot. But, now, in a strange place her memories came back fresh, as if they occurred only yesterday.

Cora also thought once again about Fess. "I hope I see him again soon," she thought as she headed downstairs to dinner.

Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed reading this. Please read and review.


	4. Chapter 3 Thoughts

Author's Note: I'm sorry I took so long, but here's chapter three. I hope you enjoy it.

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars. This is owned by George Lucas.

Chapter Three

Thoughts

Ferus couldn't get the image of Cora out of his head. Her long coal black hair and her purple eyes. The way she had thanked him for helping her.

"Get a grip Ferus," he thought to himself. He needed to concentrate on watching over Leia. Cora should be the last thing on his mind. Ferus knew he shouldn't wonder about where she came from. He should not want to see her again. But, he did want to know more about her origins, and he did want to see her again.

He could contact Obi-wan. After all, the Jedi Master was far wiser then himself. Perhaps, he could give him some good advice on how to deal with this problem.

"But should I really bother him?" Ferus wondered. Obi-wan had ordered him to only contact him if there was an emergency. A slightly attractive woman was hardly an "emergency".

But what could he do. He could hardly go visit Cora. He needed to watch over Leia. Visiting Cora would only distract him.

"But why shouldn't I?" Ferus suddenly thought. "Obi-wan never said I could not have friends." There was surely no harm in visiting Cora. He was lonely and could use a friend. Just as long he did not reveal his true identity to her. Just as long she stayed just a friend. He could work it out. He could make it work.

Ferus calmly stretched. He left the room he had been in. He walked down the short hallway to the entrance of his home. It was only few steps to the door. Ferus turned the door handle and pushed the door open.

After shutting the door behind him, Ferus glanced briefly at the lovely pink roses that grew in his own small pot. They were the one piece of gardening for him, and he felt pride for them.

Navigating the streets of Aldera could be confusing. Ferus felt relieved that he knew his way around. It was easy to see how Cora had gotten lost. If you did not know your way around the streets could be frustrating to navigate.

As he made his way through the streets, Ferus was greeted by several beings. This was not unusual considering that the natives of Alderaan were typically friendly, always willing to lend a hand. At least, most of them were.

Ferus felt nervous when he arrived at the Weary Traveler's Inn. "I shouldn't be nervous," he told himself. But still, he could not shake off the feeling that he was breaking a rule, some kind of regulation.

It took all his courage to walk up the ramp and open the door. The middle aged man at the desk seemed preoccupied with the book in his hands. It had a pair of hands holding an apple on the cover.

When Ferus tried to sneak past, the man put the book down. "Not so fast," he said. "What are you doing here?" The man was wearing a dark suit with a snowy white dress shirt. He gave Ferus a searching look.

"I'm here to see Cora Braveheart," Ferus replied.

"Let me see your ID."

"You don't need to see my ID," Ferus spoke, gently manipulating the man's mind.

"I don't need to see your ID," the man stated in a dull monotone.

"I'm clearly a friend of Cora's."

"You are clearly a friend of Cora's."

"I can go upstairs now."

"You can go upstairs now."

"Have a good day," Ferus stated politely, genuinely meaning it.

"Have a good day." The man waved at Ferus, unaware that he had been influenced by mind control.

Ferus sighed. He did not relish what would happen because of his use of the Force. But, he had carelessly left his ID at home, and the man at the desk would have been more suspicious if he had left and come back. He took the turbolift up, following Cora's trace through the Force.

He walked down the polished hallway, and stopped in front of the door where the trace was strongest. Ferus stood nervously in front of the door. Should he knock now? Or should he go back to his house and try to forget that he had met Cora. Ferus grabbed his courage, walked up to the door and knocked.

Author's Note:

Jocasta: I hope you enjoyed chapter three. Please read and review. And guess what book the guy at the desk was reading.


	5. Chapter 4 Visitor

Author's Note:

Jocasta: Hi everyone! I would like to thank everyone who has alerted/favorited/reviewed this story. I know I took awhile, but here it is. And today, I'm having Cora do the disclaimer.

Cora: Jocasta doesn't own Star Wars or Warriors. They both belong to thier respective owners.

Chapter Four Visitor

As Cora sat in her room reading, she could not shake off the feeling that she was being watched. Not by hearing, or sight, but by another sense. Her "sixth sense" she often referred to it as. Though she had known about it since childhood, she had discussed it with neither her mother nor her friends.

_"I'm just overreacting,"_ Cora tried to reassure herself. Still, her sense warned her that someone was out there. What were they doing? Probing? Were they Imperials here to arrest her?

Cora jumped out of her chair when the door bell rung. She cautiously moved to the door. She hesitated, unsure of who was on the other side. Should she answer?

_"Go ahead and answer the door!"_ a voice in her head thought impatiently.

_"And what if its Imperials come to arrest me?"_ Cora demanded.

_"Just open the door!"_ the voice persisted. _"If they __**were**__ Imperials they would have broken down the door instead of waiting for you to answer."_

Cora had to admit that the voice had a point. Whoever it was probably meant her no harm. She hoped that it was one of her childhood friend who had braved the journey from Tatooine and had come to visit her. She did not expect her true visitor.

"Good evening," Fess spoke politely. "I hope I did not disturb you with my visit."

"Not at all," Cora replied. "I wasn't really doing anything before you came."

She decided not to mention the "probing" feeling she had felt earlier. Explaining that would require explaining about her sixth sense, and who knew how Fess would react to that.

"Come in," she added, inviting him in.

"Sure." Fess spoke, politely stepping in.

Cora pulled up a chair for Fess and sat on her bed. "So how have you been?"

Fess sat in the chair before replying. "Yeah, I'm fine. And you?"

"Same. This is a very beautiful planet."

"It certainly is," Fess agreed. "And the people here for the most part are very friendly and helpful."

"So if you're not from Alderaan where are you from?" Cora inquired, genuinely curious.

"I actually don't know my home world," Fess admitted. "I was raised in an orphanage."

"Did your parents die?" Cora asked. She felt sorry for Fess if that happened. She had never known her father, and had lost her mother three years ago, but imagine growing up without _**either**_ of your parents.

"No, they gave me up." Fess's voice was very matter of fact.

"And you lived there?"

"I left when I was eighteen."

"Why?"

"There was an incident." Fess's voice seemed hesitant, as if he did not want to recollect what had happened. "I blamed myself for what happened. So I left."

For a moment, neither of them spoke. And Cora felt that they did not need to. It was if they had none each other for years, instead of for just a day.

"But enough about me," Fess added hastily. "What about you?"

It was clear he was reluctant to talk about himself, so Cora began to tell him her story. "I'm from Tatooine. My parents and grandparents on both sides were moisture farmers. My dad died leading a raid to rescue several young people from Tusken Raiders."

"I'm sorry." Sympathy showed in Fess's gaze.

"My mom and her parents raised me. My grandmother passed on when I was sixteen, my grandfather just a year later."

"What about your mother?"

"Mom passed away just three years ago," Cora informed him. "After that, I left Tatooine and became a pilot. Then, I decided to settle down for a while. So, here I am."

"Well, I'm glad you did. How else would we have met?"

"Oh, we could have met in the midst of the war on opposite sides," Cora ranted.

"I doubt we would have been friends if that were the case."

"Oh yes. It would have been doomed forbidden love." Cora laughed. _"I'm having such a good time teasing Fess,"_ she thought cheerfully.

"You're a fan of romance?" Fess asked, puzzled.

"Not at all," she admitted. "I just find quite hilarious to tease people about it."

"Well. What if you cared about someone and you knew it was forbidden?" Fess asked suddenly.

"_What kind of question is this?" _Cora wondered.

"I'm not sure," she replied. "I would decide on whether the "forbidden" part was right. Why do you ask?"

"No reason." Fess shrugged, as if this was a common question to ask an acquaintance.

"I guess you'll need to go home," Cora spoke. "It's getting late."

"You're right. I kind of lost track of what time it was."

"_I did too,"_ Cora admitted to herself. She had cheerfully talked to Fess for a whole hour. When Fess had arrived, the sun was setting, giving off orange, yellow, and purple from its center. The sun had already gone down now, and the silver moon was rising.

"When can I see you again?" she asked.

"This Saturday," Fess decided. "That's my day off. I can show you around."

"Sure," Cora accepted. Saturday was only two days away. She shook his hand before he left, closing the door behind him.

Cora moved to the window. As she watched the sliver of a moon rise, she felt in her chest a growing excitement for Saturday.

Author's Note:

Hollyleaf: Wow! I love this story!

Palpatine: This story is stupid.

Jocasta: Shut up, Palpatine. Or should I call you Darth Stupidious?

Yoda: Quoted me, you have.

Jocasta: When did you get here?

Yoda: Arrived a few minutes ago, I did.

Jocasta: Ok. Well, I hope you liked chapter four. Please read and review.


	6. Chapter 5 A Beginning

Author's Note:

Jocasta: Hi everyone! I know I took forever in updating, but I've had school and other fics I've been working on. So without further ado, here is chapter five.

Ferus Olin: Um, Jocasta?

Jocasta: What Ferus?

Ferus Olin: You forgot to say the disclaimer.

Jocasta: Woops. Jocasta does not own Star Wars. Star Wars is owned by George Lucas. All I own is the plot, Cora Braveheart, Ksena Radova, and Fresh from the Sea.

Chapter Five

A Beginning

Ferus was anxious as he began to prepare to meet Cora early that morning. He was so anxious that he shaved, which he almost never did these days and he combed his short gold streaked brown hair. He also wore his best clothes, a dark dress shirt with nice pants, and black dress shoes. He was doing all this just to go out with someone who was just a friend to him.

"Just a friend," he kept chanting to himself in his head. "Just a friend."

He knew Cora had to stay "just a friend". Because the last thing he needed was to be attached to someone. Not when Leia needed to be watched over. Ferus sighed. He was worrying about things that would never happen. He could make this work. With that thought in mind, Ferus headed out.

It was a lovely morning, not too hot, nor too wet and stormy. It was the ideal morning to be going on a tour. He moved through the streets quickly several times running into other people, to whom he would stammer quick apologies before moving on. As he approached the Weary Traveler's Inn, his heartbeat began to increase, thudding in his chest like a nervous butterfly. Butterflies.

_He was in a thick forest with bushes and shrubs. Butterflies swirled around him in a circle. Red, gold, silver, and green. He jumped high swinging his hands about him, desperate to catch one. _

Ferus shook his head to clear the vision. "What was that about he wondered?" Occasionally, he had experienced moments where he received mysterious visions. They were always simple and distant, as if they were long buried memories. After a while, Ferus had learned to ignore them. He continued on, managing to put the vision out of his mind.

As he approached the Weary Traveler's Inn, he could not stop his heart from leaping out of his chest in excitement.

…...

Cora sat impatiently in the hallway of the motel. The gold Alderaan sun had risen above the horizon, and there was not a single cloud in the sky. Watching the sun rise had made her miss her home world, and waking up early to watch the twin suns race each other as they ascended over a desolate landscape. But after awhile she had begun to grow impatient. Fess had not shown up yet.

_"Where is he?"_ she wondered. He had said he would meet her Saturday hadn't he. Maybe he was lost, or had run into problems on the way here? Cora immediately shot down that idea. Fess might not have been born on this planet, but he clearly new his way around, and she had a feeling that there were very few "problems" one could encounter on Alderaan. Or maybe, he had changed his mind, and wasn't going to show her around. Maybe he..

Her musings were interrupted as Fess entered through the door into the lobby. He stood there panting for a moment as if he had run the whole way there. He turned to her. "Sorry I'm late," he spoke though his gaps of breath. He also was wearing a dress shirt, with dress pants, which seemed rather odd to be wearing since he planned to show her the sights.

"It's ok," she replied. "I wasn't waiting for that long. Why don't you sit down before you fall down?" She gestured towards the faded brown sofa that sat in the lobby across from the security guard's desk. Fess sat gratefully onto the sofa with a flump and Cora settled herself down beside him.

"So how's your week been?" she asked casually.

"Fine," he replied. "Work's been keeping me busy. What about you?"

"I've been looking around for a job. I haven't had much luck in that department." They all wanted background checks and she could not give them that. If she did, she would have an arrest warrant for her faster than a wookie could move.

"I could help get you a job working the palace gardens. We always need an extra pair of hands."

Cora blushed. "I've kind of got the opposite of a green thumb. Mom gave up on training me to be a moisture farmer after I killed half our plants."

Ferus chuckled. "I'm sure something will come up soon."

"I'm not so sure about that."

"I'm certain someone will accept you," Ferus replied. "And why are we sitting here," he added, noticing the sun was almost directly overhead.

"You were catching your breath," Cora pointed out.

"Well, let's get going, or I won't have time to show you around at this rate." As Fess led her out of the motel's entrance and down the ramp, Cora could not suppress a flicker of excitement the welled up in her chest.

….

Ferus had some mixed feelings as he showed Cora the sights. On one hand, he was happy to talk to someone who was funny and was not talking down to him as so many of Alderaan's diplomatic visitors did when they encountered him working in the gardens. He had not become friends with someone this fast since the day he met Roan. On the other hand, he was already becoming attached to the girl. The last person he had become attached to had died, and he had almost suffered a fate worse than death in efforts of vengeance. That was why he distanced himself. No attachments that was the Jedi way. He tried to shake off these feelings as he pointed out another landmark to Cora. "And that's the Alderaan Select Academy for Young Ladies. That's were all the daughters of the old Houses learn sewing, and other fine talents to become proper ladies."

Cora snorted. "Proper. How is it proper to host parties and wear fancy clothes when half the galaxy is starving?"

Ferus agreed with her. He had often thought the same thing himself. At least Senator Bail Organa was not fond of pomp and ceremony. He only gave parties when dignitaries were visiting, and Leia's birthday parties were simple affairs that only her closest play group friends were invited to. "Come on," he said at last. "We need to keep moving."

He showed her some stores along the main road, and Cora bought a holo novel about the Great Hyperspace War, and she talked him into buying a non-fiction holo novel about the formation of the Republic. Alderaan was pretty open minded about history. How long would it be before this shop was closed and owner executed for treason against the empire? He remembered it all on Bellassa. How his friend Roan had almost died in prison, how resistors were shot, how innocent people were executed without a trial. There was also the mysterious weapon that the Emperor was forcing many of his friends to work on, some huge super weapon of some sort.

"Are you ok?" Cora asked him, her purple eyes wide with concern.

Ferus had not realized that he had spaced out again. He was doing that a lot lately, going back into his past, and re-living the parts of his life, good and bad. "I'm fine."

Just then, Cora's stomach gave a cat-like growl. "Sorry," Cora apologized. "I think I had better be getting back to motel now. It's getting late."

Glancing at the sky, Ferus could see she was right. The sun had begun to set, giving the sky orange, red, purple colors to it. "I think I'll take you out to dinner. If you don't mind that is?" He hoped he did not sound too rude. He had never learned how one was supposed to invite a girl to have dinner with them. Well, she was just a friend, but still.

To his surprise, Cora smiled. "Sure," she replied. They walked down the street, weaving through people who were coming home from work, or going out, just like them. Ferus quickly spotted the illuminated neon sign of his favorite restaurant, Fresh from the Sea. They walked in and stood in line behind a few Twi'leks. As they approached the counter, a red haired woman approached them.

"Is this my best costumer? Hello Fess. How have you been lately?"

Ferus smiled. Ksena Radova was famed for her hospitality towards others, as well as for her well cooked surf and turf. "I've been fine Ksena. This is a friend of mine. Cora, this Ksena Radova, the owner of this restaurant."

"Hi." Cora smiled tentatively, reaching her hand out to shake Ksena's. Ksena smiled warmly at the girl.

"It's so nice to see that Fess has met such a nice girl like you."

Ferus sighed. "Cora and I are just friends."

Ksena laughed. "That's what they all say. Come on, I have table available for both of you." She winked at him before moving them towards one of the many table in the restaurant.

"Is she always this enthusiastic?" Cora asked as soon as they were sitting at the table, and Ksena was out of earshot.

"She can be a bit overbearing at times, but she means well." Ferus smiled at Cora. She truly was a thoughtful and friendly person. "So how did you become a pilot?"

"It's kind of a long story."

"I don't have anywhere else I need to be at this moment."

"Well, after my mother died I didn't have any reason to stay on Tatooine. I tried to sign up as a pilot. Thought would be easy, considering pilots were always willing to let me help them repair their ships, boy was I wrong. None of them would take me. Except this one guy, who seemed a little shady, said he had cargo he was transporting to Cato Nemoidia. I didn't question what the cargo was. I was kind of stupid, actually."

"What was the cargo?" Ferus inquired, though he had feeling what the answer was.

"Slaves," Cora replied in a voice that sounded like ice. "I knocked the pilot unconscious and freed the slaves. Unfortunately, the Neimoidians took offence, and I got a bounty for a being a public nuisance. I have to remind myself to stay away from there."

Ferus laughed. "I've never been a fan of the Neimoidians myself." They had been a deep part of the Separatist movement, and they had tried to squeeze as much wealth as they could out of other worlds.

"I stole the ship and made my way onto Republic territory. Eventually, I was able to get a job shipping supplies for the Republic. So what kind of job do you have?"

"Well I work as a gardener for the palace gardens," Ferus replied tersely. He hoped Cora would get off this topic, as he hated having to lie to her about his past.

"And what kind of job did you have before that?" Cora clearly wasn't easily fooled.

"Well, I worked as a private investigator, you know, helping other people who the government did not protect." It was close enough to what he really did, but not too close.

To his relief Cora nodded. He spent the rest of dinner listening to stories Cora told of her childhood, and some scraps she got into as a pilot. She seemed a little vague, when asking why she had moved to Alderaan, but Ferus did not mind. He walked her back to the motel, and Cora surprised him by embracing him before heading up the ramp and entering the motel. As he headed on his way home, Ferus could not help smiling.

….

Darth Vader felt something. A slight tremor in the Force, a brief fluctuation, but it was suspicious. All the Jedi were extinct. They had all been eliminated during the Purges. At least, all of them except that imbecile Kenobi. He felt passion as he thought of the man who had turned his beloved Padme against him. If it weren't for him, she and their unborn child would still be alive. Perhaps that was what the tremor was. This would be his chance for revenge vengeance. This time, the battle between him and his onetime master would end with him emerging as victorious.

Author's Note:

Jocasta: Dun dun dun!

Ferus Olin: Great chapter Jocasta.

Galen Marek: Will I be in this story?

Jocasta: As of now, nope.

Galen Marek: Damn it!

Yoda: Watch your language you should.

Jocasta: Ugg! Anyways Ksena is a name of Polish origin that means "guest, host". With that said I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please read and review.


	7. Chapter 6 Nightmares

Author's Note:

Jocasta: First, I would like to apologize for taking so long to update. I was busy with school and writing other things, and for a while I actually had decided to discontinue this story.

Galen Marek: What?!

Jocasta: But I eventually got back into Star Wars, and decided to continue it. And today Galen Marek's going to do the disclaimer.

Galen Marek: Why me?

Jocasta: You're the only one here at the moment, plus this will make up for the fact that you're not in the story.

Galen Marek: Fine! Jocasta Silver doesn't own "Star Wars". "Star Wars" is owned by George Lucas, and Disney.

Chapter Six

Nightmares

**The darkness was closing in on her. She could not see 'darkness' but she could feel it in the air. The Jedi Temple is before her in flames, just like it was that terrible night two years ago. Then she's in space, and she hears voices, murmurs, "the Jedi were traitors!", "How can we survive?!", "what's happening to me?", "the plans will be completed on schedule.", "they are hunting us", and just then, a huge moon sized thing pops up out of nowhere. As she's wondering what the hell that "thing" is, a huge green turbo laser fires right at her. The blast goes through the air, and slams into her, she feels herself being blasted away, obliviated…**

Cora's eyes shot open. She was lying on the floor of her bed, sweating profusely. As she struggled to get her beating heart to calm down, she could not help but feel dread. For the past two years, she had been experiencing this same dream. At first, she had dismissed it as PTSD from the attack on the Jedi Temple. And yet, she had never in her life seen a round thing like what she saw in her dream. What could it possibly be? A super weapon of some sort?

She stretched and checked the watch on the nightstand. It was o-four hundred. Early, but Cora felt she could not go back to sleep after the dark dream she had just experienced. She dressed in a shirt and pants, pulling on her shoes quickly. Hopefully, she would be able to get directions to Fess's house. She stepped out of her room and walked down the hallway, careful not make too much noise. There were probably plenty of other beings who were still fast asleep at this very early hour. She ran down the stairs, and into the lobby. As she walked by the front desk the security guard stopped her. He was over dressed in navy dress pants and a blue dress shirt and reading a book with a picture of a kid with a vibrosword.

"Are you going somewhere?" he asked.

"Just to visit a friend," Cora replied, hoping he did not suspect that there was more to the strange new tenant's lack of background.

"Just be careful," he simply said.

Cora smiled at his thoughtfulness. "I will be. Have a good day."

As she walked past the desk and into the cool streets of Aldera she hoped that she wasn't disturbing Fess at too early of an hour.

….

**Ferus was surprised to find himself back in the caves of the Ilum. After their recent escapade a couple years to back for him to build a lightsaber, he would not be surprised that the Empire would have the planet on lockdown. Strangely, the place was empty of both visions and Imperial stormtroopers. As Ferus glanced around, he caught a glimpse of his own reflection in one of the crystal walls and was shocked. He was wearing Jedi robes, which he had not worn since he had left the Order all those years ago. **

**Suddenly, he heard the sound of deep breathing and heavy footsteps. Ferus turned. The monster that had once been Anakin Skywalker stood at the end of the far room. He approached, drawing his red bladed lightsaber. **

**"There is no escape for you Olin!" he yelled. "Wherever you run, wherever you hide, I will find you."**

**Ferus drew his own lightsaber, and the pair clashed. A punch from Vader knocked Ferus's lightsaber from his hand, and he suddenly found himself at the mercy of his former rival's blade.**

Ferus woke with a start, sweat pouring from his brow. He had not dreamed about Vader in about a year. It was ironic that the one who was supposed to save the Force had ended up destroying it. But as he reminded himself, this was not important. His job was to protect Leia, so that one day, she and her brother Luke would save the galaxy from the Emperor's tyranny. It was a distant dream, but one Ferus clung onto for hope.

Just then, he heard a knock on the door. "Coming!" he yelled, as he quickly changed into some pants and one of his faded collared shirts. He rushed out of his bedroom without bothering to put on a pair of shoes, and opened to the door to a startled Cora.

"Hi," she said nervously. "Sorry to disturb you at such an early hour, but one of your co-workers gave me directions, and since Sunday isn't a work day, I thought I might come over and visit."

Ferus smiled. "Not at all, in fact, I was already up and about myself. I like to get up early typically. Why don't you come on in?"

"Sure." She returned his smile easily, and Ferus found he could not stop smiling as he put on a pair of socks and shoes. What was it about this woman that made him want to be around her all the time? Perhaps, it was her gentle teasing, or the way she made him feel more easygoing. The only people who could do that were Darra and Roan. He shook it off. Cora was just a good friend, and with all the darkness and threats from the Sith, he was going to need all the friends he could get. He returned outside to a smiling Cora, and the two of them entered the house.

...

As Cora sat down in a small green chair in the living room, she noticed that Fess's house was small, with only a small kitchen, this room, a bathroom, and a bedroom. It contained only the bare minimum of furniture, with no fancy statues or plush rugs that normally filled most people's houses. In many ways, this little bungalow reminded her of her childhood home on Tatooine. Fess sat down in the chair opposite her after turning on a lamp. He opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, and then closed it awkwardly. For a moment, Cora was content to simply to stare at this good-looking guy. His brown hair had a gold streak, and he was well muscled, although not ridiculously. At last, she finally broke the silence. "So how have been doing?"

Fess shrugged his shoulders. "I've been doing all right. How about you?"

Normally, Cora would lie and answer that she was perfectly all right, thank you very much. However, with Fess she instinctively felt that he would understand what she was going through. He looked like someone she could trust. "Well, I've been having these strange dreams of people screaming and some weird space station. I've had nightmares before, you know, about being chased by krayt dragons and losing all my teeth, but this nightmare, it felt different. It felt more real, like I was there or something. I guess I could be going crazy."

Something in Fess's expression changed in the course of her relating her dream, as if a demon that he had tried to suppress for a long time had resurfaced to haunt him. "I don't think you're crazy," he replied quickly. "It might be that your perceptions of the galaxy are better than the average sentient." He struggled to re-arrange his face into a more amiable smile. "Why don't we have breakfast at this yogurt place I know?" he babbled, changing the subject. "It's probably open by now."

Cora felt slightly annoyed that he was avoiding giving her a more concrete answer to her question, but decided to drop the subject. After all, at least he reassured her that she wasn't crazy. The yoghurt place Fess suggested, turned out to be excellent, and Cora was content to linger over breakfast, watching as Alderaan's golden sun rose above the horizon, painting the sky in vibrant colors. Fess walked her back to the motel, but paused as if he was uncertain of what to say to her.

"I guess I'll see you around," Cora said finally.

Fess smiled, gently. "I guess so." Cora turned to go, but Fess suddenly called after her. "Cora?"

Cora turned to face him. "What?"

"I don't think it would be a good idea to mention your visions to anyone else."

Cora rolled her eyes. "Don't worry; I know if I told anyone else about these 'nightmares' that I'd probably get checked into a psyche ward."

Fess laughed briefly, and suddenly, they were at an impasse, staring into each other's eyes, uncertain of what to do next. Cora impulsively closed the distance between the two of them and pressed her lips to his. At first Fess stiffened in shock from her close proximity. He quickly relaxed and kissed her back, gently wrapping his around her waist. Cora felt a fire coarse through her, as she continued to kiss him. Fess was the first to break the kiss. He backed away nervously, making Cora realize the massive ramifications of what she had just done. What was she supposed to say to him? She didn't quite love him, at least not yet, but she was at the very least physically attracted to him. What did she say, after initiating a kiss with him?

"I'm sorry," she said finally.

Fess shook his head, his brown eyes exceedingly gentle. "No, don't be." Without another word to her, he walked away down the street, not looking back once.

Cora sank onto the pavement, her heart falling from her chest into her stomach with uncertainty of what could come of her feelings for Fess.

….

Ferus raced into his house and slammed the door shut behind him, as he attempted to control his warring emotions. He breathed slowly, inhaling through his nose, and exhaling through his mouth until his breathing had slowed, becoming more regular and less frantic. He turned on his café maker, and as the machine warmed up, he had nothing to do but reflect on his feelings. He loved Cora, loved her from the moment he accidently ran into her and met her intense, beautiful violet eyes for the first time. That was his main problem, he realized as he poured the warm café into his cup. He was becoming attached to Cora and that was wrong. Wrong, because not only it would distract him from his mission, but also it was unfair to pull Cora into the crazy, dangerous world that a fugitive from the Empire lived in. Not to mention that she herself would become a fugitive simply for being Force sensitive.

He could kick himself for not realizing right from the start about her abilities. She possessed good reflexes and that strange premonition she recalled to him had been enough for him to gently probe her. There it was the shiny presence of Force potential that was untamed and untrained. While Cora seemed aware, that she was different, she had not put a name to her abilities, and Ferus decided that it would be best not to tell her. After all, how could you tell someone that they possessed a power that could be easily abused and that would make them a wanted fugitive of the Empire simply for possessing the potential to harness it?

No, he reflected himself as he gulped down some of his café, wincing slightly as the scalding liquid slid down his throat. It would be better for him to never see Cora again, so that he could stay calm and impassive and she would remain safe from both the Sith and the Empire. Ferus continued to drink his café and tried to forget a pair of lovely purple eyes, and soft, tender pink lips.

….

Darth Vader marched onto his ship the _Exactor_, fuming. While the emperor had given his blessing to his mission to track down the "disturbance" in the Force, he was coy, and had teased Vader about chasing after "little sunshine lights". Well he would prove to his master that he was strong. Even if the disturbance wasn't Kenobi, he would still gain the satisfaction of ridding the galaxy of yet another pathetic Jedi.

He entered the bridge and noted that at his arrival all of the bridge crew immediately stood at attention. While most of them had only served on the ship for a year, they all knew better than slouch when Lord Vader was around. "Admiral Ozzel?" he addressed the bridge officer.

The officer, an elderly bumbling fool who practically fell to ground to gain favor with him immediately plastered a fake smile on his face, when both knew that he was less than thrilled to be serving under Vader. "Yes, Lord Vader."  
"Set a course for the Alderaan system," he ordered. "I will be in my quarters if there are any messages." As he retreated to his quarters to meditate, he allowed himself to anticipate the moment he would end the pathetic Jedi.

Author's Note:

Jocasta: And so the plot thickens.

Ferus Olin: Yikes! Things aren't looking good for me and Cora.

Anakin Skywalker: Who knew that a stiff like Olin could fall in love?

Ferus Olin: Hey! At least I have all my limbs intact.

Jocasta: Both of you, just shut up! Anyways, I hope you enjoyed chapter six, and please read and review.


	8. Chapter 7 Confrontations and Kidnappings

Author's Note:

Jocasta: Sorry about the delay; I was working on other stories, cough _Shadows of the Force _cough. So let's get this chapter started.

Ferus Olin: Umm...Jocasta. You foregot to do the disclaimer.

Jocasta: I think everyone here knows that I don't own _Star Wars_. So I won't wait a second, I already said so, on with the show! (Runs off)

Chapter Seven

Confrontations and Kidnappings

When Cora rose the next morning after reflecting on what occurred the previous day, she decided to confront Fess. She needed answers as to how he felt for her, and where they were going to take their relationship from here. Although a part of her worried that he would turn her away, another part felt that he had to at the very least be physically attracted to her. After all, he had kissed her back. She silently navigated the streets of Aldera easily, after Fess's tour; she knew the whole city as well as she had known Moss Espa.

However, when she arrived at Fess's house, the door was locked.

_"Of course," _she realized. _"He mentioned that he works in the gardens. Today, he probably is back at work."_

She viewed the palace from a distant, magnificent, with spires that shot up past the horizon. However, she found that finding the correct rout to the palace was a challenge, and twice found herself stuck in a dead end of the labyrinth-like maze of streets. Fortunately, she was able to receive directions from the locals, and eventually found herself at a small side entrance into the gardens. Cora was in awe. While the gardens contained the traditional blooms expected for a royal garden, it also hosted hardy prairie grasses and thick coniferous trees. There was tranquility to the gardens that put Cora at ease in way she had felt since she was a little girl.

Just as she had sat down to wait, Fess turned the corner, and his eyes widened in shock. He swiftly walked to her. "Cora, what are you doing here?" he asked, incredulously.

She merely shrugged. "I came to see you; it isn't that hard to get accurate directions to the palace."

"I…"

"Look," she gently interrupted. "I know you're busy right now, but I'll wait until you're on you're lunch break or whatever."

"Fine," he sighed in defeat. "Hey, Alaric, I'm going to take my lunch break now!"

A blond man trotted up and regarded Cora with discreet curiosity. "Are you sure about that Fess? I mean it's only an hour until the rest of us go to lunch."

"Yeah, I'm sure about it," Fess replied. "I'll be back in time for the next shift."

"If you're sure about that," Alaric commented. "Good luck." He softly tapped Fess on the shoulder, shot one more quizzical look at Cora, and walked back towards the palace.

"So where do you want to go for lunch?" Cora inquired once Alaric was out of earshot.

"Why don't we just go over to my place?" Fess suggested. "I'd rather not have other people eavesdropping on us."

"Sure." As they made their way through the narrow streets, Cora noted that Fess ignored her mostly focusing on the street signs and countless sentients that flooded through the roads. However, she also noticed that he occasionally snuck peaks at her when he thought she would not notice. They entered Fess's bungalow, and Cora sat in one of the chairs in the living room, while Fess walked into the kitchen and returned with two kath hound sandwiches and two cartons of nerf milk. She murmured a "thanks" and began nibbling on the sandwich, aware that Fess silently observed her actions.

"Look, Cora," Fess finally broke the silence. "I just don't think we should see each other anymore."

"You mean you aren't interested in me?" Had that kiss really been nothing?

Fess shook his head. "No, it's not that at all. It's just…you know how I asked you about what you would do if you fell for someone who was forbidden. Well, this is forbidden."

"Look, stop dodging around what happened ok. I kissed you, you kissed me back. Can't we at least talk about like rational adults?"

"Look Cora, I'm sorry. It's not you, it's me."

"Yeah, use the oldest excuse in the book on me," Cora muttered.

"I'm sorry."

"Stop saying you're sorry!" Cora spat. She could already fell the beginnings of tears in her eyes. "You know I think you're scared Fess. You've been hurt before, and you're so paranoid, that you can't let anyone in. Well go ahead and destroy yourself. I'm not going to be dragged down with you!" With that, she jumped up and dashed out the door, not even caring that she had not finished her nerf milk.

….

"Damn it!" Ferus cursed. That definitely could have gone much better. He had never been a social butterfly, even when he and Roan led the resistance on Bellassa. In addition, Cora's words hit closer to home than he cared to admit. He feared that his attachment to Cora would result in him brushing the dark side again, and this time he wasn't sure he could resist. After all, he had barely rejected the dark side last time.

Just then, his comlink rang, breaking through his musings. Swiftly, he scooped up the comlink and pressed the button.

"Ferus." The calmness in Senator Organa's voice belied the anxiety that Ferus could discern even over the com. "You need to come back to the palace. We have a situation, so to speak."

….

Cora seethed silently, kicking dust and dirt in her path until she reached the motel. Maybe, it was the recklessness that her mother always claimed would be her undoing. Maybe, it was simply the attitude she possessed from being raised as a simple farm girl on Tatooine. However, a part of her was appalled by Fess's hiding from his emotions. Did he not realize that containing his emotions was only a temporary reprieve from dealing with them?

The lobby was bereft of anyone, including the guard. This was unusual as he or his partner was usually at the post. Suddenly, she heard a loud groan. The guard lay sprawled behind the desk, several scarlet gashes dotted on his face.

"Be…care…" Too late, she realized he was gesturing to something behind her. She turned, only to meet a fist that clomped her on the head, as she fell into unconsciousness, she thought she glimpsed a face that was familiar.

….

"That's her!" hissed one voice, belonging to what appeared to be a black haired young human male. Appearances were deceiving however, and the "human" was actually a shape-shifting Clawdite. This was his preferred form, since most beings in the Empire disliked aliens, to put it mildly.

"What do you mean?" this other voice, calm and analytical, belonged to a genuine human male with reddish brown hair, and sulfuric yellow eyes that betrayed his loyalty to the dark side.

"Do you know how long I've been looking for that bitch!" the shape-shifter insisted. "And now I've finally found her." He lunged with a vibroknife, but suddenly found himself slammed against one of the room's four walls.

"You will not harm her!"the dark sider hissed.

"I will not harm her," the shape-shifter repeated in a monotone.

"We'll take them to the prison, you know which one, and then we'll send a message for our senatorial friend." With that, the pair walked out of the room and vanished into the crowds outside.

….

Ferus ran as if the entire Empire was chasing him, until he arrived, panting at the front door to the palace. One of Organa's aides led him into the small throne room. It was regal, but not too large or ostentatious; the only furnishings were two small thrones at one end of the rectangular room.

Senator Organa sat on one of the thrones, and smiled slightly in relief when he noticed Ferus. Although he appeared calm, there was slight anxiety to his demeanor that palpable to Ferus' senses. "What seems to be the problem Senator?" he asked.

The senator nervous twiddled his thumb before replying. "It's Leia," he whispered so low that he was barely audible. "She's gone missing. I've had the staff look in the all the usual places in the palace she runs off to discreetly and she obviously hasn't snuck off to your place."

Ferus swore slightly under his breath. This was the worst possible time for Leia to go missing. "Is it possible that she was kidnapped?"

"There weren't any signs of a break-in or sounds of a struggle from her bedroom," Organa replied. "Although I guess she could have been drugged." He shivered slightly at the thought of his beloved adopted daughter snatched by brigands. "The only people who know that Leia is missing are I, you, Breha, and Sabe. I don't want to start a needless panic if she turns up hiding in one of the palace gardens."

"But you want me to know, so I can help search for her with my extra senses."

"I know using the Force put you in danger," the senator replied. "However, at the moment it may very well be the only reliable method of locating Leia."

Ferus waved him off. "It's ok; it's all part of the mission after all." Moreover, he was undeniably attached to Leia, even though he had only been working in the palace for one year. Her cheekiness and compassion were endearing. He reached out.

_**Cold, tired. Where are Daddy and Mommy? Where are they?!**_

His eyes misted briefly; it simply wasn't fair that someone as sweet as Leia had to go through this. "I barely managed to connect to Leia. She's cold, but alive. However, I think they must be taking her off world, because my sense of her faded. Sorry that I can't get any more specific information."

A ghost of smile appeared on Senator Organa's face. "No," he said at last. "It's ok, thank you for searching for her."

"Senator!" a young attendant dashed in, clearly nervous.

"What is it Marcus?"

"Lord Vader has arrived and is demanding an audience." The attendant's eyes widened like saucers in fear.

Ferus swore under his breath. It was as if the whole freaking galaxy was laughing at him, by having all the worst-case scenarios occurring simultaneously. "It's ok," he replied at last. "I'll just hide and conceal my presence sir." While he was somewhat out of practice in utilizing Art of the Small, Ferus was sure he could conceal himself long enough for Vader to speak with Organa and leave.

_"But what are you going to do if you are what Vader seeks," _a persistent voice whispered. Ferus ignored it. He had to believe that he would somehow survive this, so he could return to searching for Leia. Ferus darted out of the room, and reached shrinking his presence in the Force until it was all but negligible. If Vader sensed him, he would mistake him for a dust particle, something demeaning that was beneath his notice. So he sat on the floor and waited, contemplating his potential fate, as he felt the furious dark side Force presence that heralded Vader's arrival.

Author's Note:

Jocasta: Sorry I left it at this point, but I was having a hard time writing the last scene. (Jumps into Suburu Forester and drives off to book store)

Vader: Figures!

Anakin: What the hell are you doing here?!

Vader: You should know since I'm you, and you're me.

Ferus Olin: I think someone is suffering from an identity crisis.

Vader and Anakin: Shut up!

Ferus Olin: My point exactly. Anyways Jocasta hopes you enjoyed chapter seven, and reminds you to please read and review.


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